Implication of Occupational Vaccination Mandates Discussed by Ethics Committee Member
The Ethik Council, along with the Standing Vaccination Commission and the National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, have recently published a position paper on COVID-19 vaccine distribution. In this paper, no general vaccine mandate is specified. However, one of its members, Wolfram Henn, has expressed a different viewpoint.
Henn, a member of the Ethik Council, considers a job-specific vaccine mandate feasible for individuals working in care facilities or intensive care units. He believes that this would not only protect the health of these workers but also help safeguard the vulnerable patients they care for.
Despite this, Henn emphasizes that there is no legal vaccine mandate currently. He does suggest, however, a moral vaccine mandate, urging individuals to consider not only their own safety but also the safety of others. This double responsibility, Henn asserts, is crucial in the context of vaccination.
Henn also believes that the idea of 'needle in, mask off' will not effectively end the pandemic. He states that the end of the pandemic is still far off, even with the first vaccines. In fact, he predicts that the return to pre-COVID times will take until well into next year, possibly even into the year after that.
Moreover, Henn believes that in the future, other countries or travel organizers may require a vaccination certificate for entry or booking. This suggests a potential global trend towards vaccine mandates, particularly in high-risk settings such as healthcare and travel.
Austria has already implemented and discussed COVID-19 vaccination mandates specifically for certain occupational groups. However, the enforcement has been suspended multiple times due to changing infection rates and political decisions.
Henn states that the risk of being vaccinated is lower than the risk of contracting COVID-19. This underscores the importance of vaccination not just for personal health, but for the health of the community as a whole.
As the world continues to grapple with the ongoing pandemic, the suggestions and insights from experts like Henn provide valuable guidance for navigating this challenging time.
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